103. Aya Mori  森 綾

Aya Mori was born in 1989 in Aichi, Japan and studied at Aichi University of Education under her mentor, Harumi Nakashima. Het eached her the ceramic theory of "limiting yourself to one material and pursuing a form that is derived from that relationship," Mori has created unique forms by facing the clay purely as she is. She belongs to the youngest generation of influential and successful female ceramists in Japan, including Saki Kawaura, also from Aichi. In common with Saki, she looks for forms that seem to have an organic structure in her work. In doing so, Saki Kawarau chooses to associate with the human body, and through her flesh-coloured glazes, it seems as if insides of human life are shown to the viewer in beautifully twisted organic forms. Aya Mori's works do not have this association with human bodies, but her forms are equally dashing, and clearly recognisable by the organic forms and expert use of Namako glazes and the interweaving of metals such as silver. Mori's pieces are handmade and filled with structures and folds formed by string making that give the artwork a dynamic energy. During the creation process, Mori looks for the different expressions in the clay: the wet surface, the air trapped in it, the subtle lines that appear unexpectedly, the curvature resulting from gravity and the natural vitality of the clay. Despite her youth, Aya Mori has already gained much recognition in, she won awards and had exhibitions in Japan and abroad. Her work is included in the Minneapolis Institute of Art's permanent collection.